Chamber for the treating cells contained in a suspension in an electric field

Abstract

A chamber for treating cells contained in a suspension in an electric field, the chamber having a vessel for holding the suspension and at least two electrodes with electrode surfaces that face each other. The suspension may be placed between the electrode surfaces and the electrodes are connectable to different poles of a source of voltage to generate an electric field between the electrode surfaces. The electrodes are laminate and continuous and are configured to generate a non-uniform field. Moreover, the electrodes have electrode surfaces made of electrically conductive material, wherein the electrode surface of at least one of the two electrodes is shaped such that a non-uniform field with several maxima distributed over the electrode surface may be generated between the two electrodes.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]The invention relates to a chamber for the electrofusion of cells.[0002]As a rule, in electrofusion, two different cells are fused together in an electric field. The term “cells” as employed within this application generally refers to biological cells, and in particular cells consisting of body tissues.[0003]Of particular interest at the present time is, for example, the preparation of fusion products consisting of dendritic cells and tumor cells by electrofusion. Dendritic cells are immunoactive cells that may have antigens on their surfaces and that, as a function of these antigens, exhibit differing immunostimulating properties.[0004]Fusion products from dendritic cells and tumor cells may be employed, for example, in tumor therapy. In this context, the publication by Kugler et al. in Nature Medicine, Volume 6, pages 332 to 336 (2000), describes the use of the above fusion products in the treatment of kidney carcinoma in humans.[0005]Chambers of t...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0016]An important advantage of the invention is that the continuous electrodes of the chamber of the invention, in contrast to the known wire mesh electrodes, may be easily rinsed off. Consequently, in accordance with the invention, the formed fusion products can be removed without any difficulties from the chamber after the electrofusion has been completed.

[0017]In an embodiment of the invention, at least one of the electrode surfaces of the two electrodes has elevations that define areas where the distance to the other facing electrode surface is less than the distance in the surrounding areas. In each instance, the field generated between the two electrode surfaces, in the area of these elevations, has maximum values where the cells line themselves up during electrofusion.

[0018]These elevations may have any desired shape such as, for example, pyramidal or hemispherical, etc. In another preferred embodiment, the electrode surface has a wavy shape. The desired field strength maxima are formed in these wave peaks and interrupted by lower field strength values in the adjacent wave valleys.

[0019]It is possible for the elevations, for example, the waves, to be formed in only one electrode surface while the other electrode surface is flat. Another preferred embodiment of the invention, however, provides for both electrode surfaces facing each other to have elevations that are opposite from each other. Such an embodiment provides well-defined areas with a markedly higher field strength than the field strength in the surrounding areas.

[0020]In the embodiment in which the wavy electrode surfaces are provided, the wave peaks and the wave valleys may run in the same direction, in the two electrode surfaces facing each other. It is also possible for the wave peaks and valleys to be positioned at an angle relative to each other. Such positioning results in a larger number of areas with field strength maxima that may be advantageous for some applications.

[0021]The surfaces of the electrodes may be partially coated with a non-electrically conductive material and leveled such that only the areas that generate the desired field strength maxima remain free in order to provide good rinsing properties. For example, in the wavy electrode surface embodiment, it is possible to fill up the wave valleys such that the coated electrode surface acquires an approximately flat surface from which the cells or fusion products can be readily rinsed off.

Problems solved by technology

With such devices, however, only small volumes of suspension can be processed that may be insufficient for some applications such as, for example, the above-mentioned cancer therapy.

The disadvantage of this structure is that the cells get tangled in the mesh structures of the electrodes and are consequently difficult to remove after the fusion has been completed.

The disadvantage is that such an arrangement does not allow standardization or reproducibility.

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